Qld will investigate Bischoff deaths
2:57

Queensland's coroner will investigate the deaths of a Queensland mother and daughter who fell ill in Bali.

Sky News

07 Jan 2014

News

Noelene and Yvana Bischoff. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

The Indonesian Police Forensic Laboratory shows all the medicine found in room of two Australian Noelene Gaye Bischoff and her daughter Yvana Jean Yuri Bischoff who died on Saturday early morning in Bali suspected allergy. Source: Supplied

INDONESIAN drugs used to treat an allergic reaction have been found in the hotel room of Noelene Bischoff and her daughter Yvana, who mysteriously died in Bali on Saturday.

Noelene, a Sunshine Coast nurse, had packed all the medications she might need on an overseas holiday with her 14-year-old daughter.

Indonesian police investigating the pair's sudden deaths revealed they found 29 prescription and non-prescription medications in the pair's room, including two Indonesian-made anti-allergy drugs, as well as vitamins and over-the-counter drugs such as Nurofen and Immodium.

The pair were holidaying in Bali before they became critically ill late Friday night.

Indonesian police yesterday said they had decided to respect the family's wishes to have the bodies returned to Australia for autopsies.

Noelene's brother Malcolm Bischoff said the family was desperate for answers: "All we want is the truth."

Yesterday Queensland's acting Attorney-General David Crisafulli said the Queensland coroner would perform the autopsies after contact with the family.

"I am under the understanding that DFAT has already begun negotiations with the Indonesian Government so I really would like to think it could occur sooner rather than later," he said.

Richard Day, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at St Vincents Hospital, said the large collection of drugs was indicative of someone preparing for an overseas trip.

Prof Day described them as "standard medicines" covering problems such as diarrhoea and infectious diseases.

"There would be a mixture of being cautious and being a health professional, more cautious, in addition to having pre-existing conditions of asthma and migraines," he said.

Indonesian authorities have suggested the pair died from an allergy and not poisoning, but the family has insisted the mother and daughter did not suffer from allergies.

Supt Adnan Pandibu, the criminal investigation chief in Karangasem police district said they would continue with the investigation. The medicines were found in a toiletries bag in the Bischoff's room at the Padang Bay Beach Resort in East Bali.

At least three of the medications found were anti-allergy drugs and one strip of antihistamine tablets had several taken from it.

Also found in the room was paracetamol, eye and ear drops and a range of anti-nausea and drugs for stomach upsets and asthma medications as well as a sedative and antidepressant.

Officers at the Bali police forensics lab said yesterday that it was the first time they had encountered so many different types of medication in the belongings of a traveller

Officers at the police forensic laboratory have begun tests on the drugs and on drinks and vomit found in their room.

One of the anti-allergy medications found was Camidryl - a 10ml ampoule for use as an injection which was made in Indonesia.

The bottle had not been opened but medical professionals say it is a strong anti-allergy medication.

There was also a small packet of needles, one of which appeared to have been used.

Pharmacies in Indonesia sell a variety of drugs over the counter without the need for prescriptions and often a strip of small needles is sold with an ampoule for injection.

The medications also included another powerful anti-allergy drug called Kalmethasone, which is also administered by injection and could be used for severe asthma.

There was a strip of 10 tablets of Cortisone, also made in Indonesia. An box of Transbroncho medicine, made in Indonesia, was also found.

Two asthma inhalers were also discovered, one of which had an expiry date of June 2007. The migraine tablets were the only ones with a prescription attached to them.

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